New York City’s United Federation of Teachers (UFT), the largest teachers union in the city, is challenging Mayor Zohran Mamdani over his efforts to halt a proposed pay raise for education paraprofessionals. This comes after UFT’s endorsement of Mamdani last year.

Last month, the New York City Council unanimously approved the ‘RESPECT Check Act.’ The act seeks to offer education paraprofessionals a bonus of up to $10,000. Despite his past support, Mamdani now argues the measure breaches New York State’s Taylor Law, meant to safeguard public employees’ rights in negotiation matters such as compensation. Consequently, his administration filed a lawsuit on August 19 to prevent the act’s enforcement.

“We knew this lawsuit was a possibility, and we were prepared,” stated UFT President Michael Mulgrew to Fox News Digital, defending the legality of the law and its alignment with collective bargaining rights.

The UFT has responded by filing a motion to intervene, willing to proceed to court if necessary. They emphasize that both the city council and UFT ensured the bill adheres to legal standards. Mulgrew also urged the administration to commit to creating a fairer city as promised.

City Council Speaker Julie Menin and Council Member Carmen De La Rosa have jointly defended the bill, citing its unanimous bipartisan support due to the low wages of paraprofessionals and its potential to address staffing problems.

Despite the ongoing legal battle, Mamdani disclosed that talks with Menin and the UFT are progressing positively. “The relationship with Menin continues… discussions with the UFT have been productive,” he assured.